"So, in my last discussion, I brought up whether or not respect has changed for the people who come to the streets to let us have a peek into their lives.  This was brought up after there had been quite a bit of discussion regarding the quality of things you see happening in the streets and the motives behind those who come out here to interact.

Many people suggested that daily life should be happening in the Business Districts of each city and not the Streets suggesting the streets was a better place for official news, announcements, and discussions about the happenings here on these shores.

Having given this suggestion some thought I decide to take a little time and focus my interactions (aside from one bit of business I have with Mr. JohnWalton and Link) to the business districts and see what effect (if any) it had on my enjoyment on these shores and if anything could be learned from it.

As of one week doing this, here's what I've found so far and I leave these observations here for you all to discuss."

Harlow opened a sheet of paper and read from her observations:

1. Interacting in business districts opposed to the streets has had little to no impact upon the favor shown to me by city hall sometimes called vip credits.  I'm going to guess then that other items of favor have not decreased either... my vision hasn't been impaired nor has the amount of life experience I'm gaining... of course, that's really just a guess on my part as no one knows that but God.  This seems to imply the idea that people are only interacting in the streets for favor is FALSE.  At the moment it seems to me that you can interact elsewhere and get a lot less grief from people for it while still collecting a paycheck for your efforts.  So, if folks are only doing it for the rewards, it seems foolish they would be doing it in the streets for any other reason than convenience.  
2. It has decreased the amount of tribute going up to my boss because I have spent a little more on travel.
3. I'm in my home city less which probably is an advantage for anyone wanting to shoot me but definitely not an advantage for me.  I could (optionally) pay to go home more but again, would send up less.
4. I have discovered that by only interacting in businesses, I won't be able to keep a journal the way my ancestors have to record their life stories and that is lamentable in the extreme as I love looking back at the life events of my forebearers.  
5. There has not been an increase in the number of people who randomly step into my life and interact.  Some people have suggested that my life happenings in the streets feel closed off to them (as a matter of being polite if nothing else) but honestly I haven't seen any more or less unannounced people joining me on my adventures in the business districts than I did in the streets.
6. It's heavily implied that if there were less life events happening in the streets that more discussions would take place.  I know Mr. Pavanno also took a few days away from the streets around the time I began my experiment but as of yet I do not believe I've seen an increase in discussions/debates/non-life-events happening here.
7. I do earn fewer tips in the business district than on the streets.
8. Fewer people witness the events of my life when they happen in a specific city rather than in our very open and easily accessible streets.
9. Interactions in the business district feel (to me at least) that they should only be the sort that relates to 'opening a new business' or patronizing a business as opposed to self-contained life events. 

"I'll add a bit more to this list as time goes on and I have more thoughts on the matter."

Avard listens as Harlow opens a sheet of paper and reads her observations aloud. When she is finished, he offers his own thoughts on what she has said.

Some interesting thoughts, Harlow, thank you for sharing them.

I'm glad you continued to reap rewards for your efforts whether they be restricted to the Business District or not. Anyone who puts their effort into a worthwhile exploit which a mobster in this day and age could be involved with deserves whatever they get. 

I'm not surprised that there is no discernible uplift in the volume of discussions; I have long held the view that an increase in storytelling was a scapegoat for a lack of innovation and activity on behalf of the complainers. I wonder if that will continue to be borne out in the long run, but it certainly seems to be the case right now.

Aside from those observations, you seem to be pushing this theme that nobody speaks in public for the rewards pretty hard. I guess that is coming from the fact you don't speak for that reason and, I assume, also getting some confirmation bias from your prolific storytelling friends. But despite your assertions, nothing you have demonstrated in this week long exercise disproves that people are here for the rewards, it just means that they could also take their shite to the business district and cash in that way too, likely with less scrutiny. 

Nobody is disputing that it is easier to speak in the street, but that isn't the only reason to speak in the street either. I do not think all people are paragons of discourse, desperate to share the spoken word. Take this dickhead for example. He can't even be original in his attempts to gain attention from the Gods and it is disgusting. I think my own observation is that there is a real correlation between an increase in utter trash being forced upon the public and the implementations of the rewards in the first place.

Anyway, thanks for sharing and I look forward to hearing further thoughts as this develops. 

Ambichous had been sitting in the back  listening to the conversation, not intending to take part in the discussion she just stood there holding her twitching hand steady.  Until someone mentioned the word  correlation, now this word really racked her nerves so she had to speak up.

While correlation can lead you to an assumption; that is all it can do is lead you to an assumption. Correlation does not equal causation. Just because ice cream sales and drowning incidents correlate does not mean that ice cream sales are the cause of the drowning.

The main reason you do not have many discussions or debates here.   Discussion and debates turn into name calling bouts by people who become or are already salty about the subject.  They then soon go off topic entirely as these parties continue to name call and point fingers as to who did what and assuming why they did it.  Along with people breaking omerta and disclosing information that should have stayed in city or even in their family (but I am sure that is different discussion or debate all together) .When people try to become part of the discussion or debates they are brow beaten. Once you brow beat someone enough they will stop doing that behavior.  More encouragement and support will foster the debating  and discussions you want to see.

She turned away  and made her way  to the back of the crowd to listen to the rest of discussion and  to wait for her brow beating .

More encouragement and support will foster the debating  and discussions you want to see.

Full disclosure here, I'm in support of the debates and discussions that other people (those who have been complaining about all the stories in the streets) say that they want to see. 

I'm here having this particular discussion in support of those who want to tell stories without being accused of doing so only for profit.

I understand the concept which you are explaining however, there are those people who would have you believe that because people enjoy writing stories and that there is a profit to it... everyone MUST be doing it only because of the profit.

•  ice cream sales do (NOT necessarily) equal drowning incidents
•  a love of stories & increase in writers on our shores does (NOT necessarily) equal soulless greed

The proposed solution to the 'problem' of all these 'greedy storytellers' who are 'clogging up the streets' making 'difficult to find REAL interactions' is that the stories of our lives should be playing out in the business districts. 

This logic, in my mind, is flawed due to my findings this week.  Sharing your stories in the business districts is not stop one from collecting their payday from city hall.   

Still, if the concern REALLY is about separating out different types of interactions on our shores (discussions in one place, stories in another) then I propose this is more likely to organically occur if all parties come out in support of removing travel restrictions on the business districts making them like the streets.  Then there would be almost zero reasons for folks to live in the streets and instead, they could do so just as easily in the business district.

In short, I'd like to see people who genuinely want to see storytelling move to the business district (clearing up room for discussions/debates/news/announcements on the streets)  to come out in support of seeing city hall remove the time travel limitation on the business district and make it more like interacting on the streets.

Or, alternatively, maybe people could stop making wild statements like "rises in ice cream sales is the reason for drowning to have increased!" 

 Take this dickhead for example. He can't even be original in his attempts to gain attention from the Gods and it is disgusting. 

I'm deeply troubled every time I hear that someone has come to the streets and tries to pass off the lives of others as their own.  It's disgusting and the very worst side effect is that it creates a feeling that just because there is one 'dickhead' there must also be others. 

Some folks do interact in the streets with the frequency of rabbits mating in spring - their stories are bountiful.  When my bloodline first came to these shores EVERY person I spoke to told me they dreamed of a day when writers would fill the streets with stories... of course, now that it's happening, there a sizable negative reaction. 

I'll admit, on my very best days, I don't have the sort of ability to produce the amount of content that some folks do and I spend a lot of time focused on that aspect of our life.  However, I'm reluctant to say that because someone does something with a passion or frequency that exceeds my own that it must be because of the rewards.  

I do not think I will be able to convince you all writers do so for the love of the craft nor you convince me that if someone exceeds me in producing material that they are doing so for love of profit.  Instead, I propose that maybe we look to solving the issue of where that content is shared.  I've made a suggestion that should eliminate any reason for storytellers to need to share in the streets... the question is, will the most vocal critics of stories 'clogging up the streets' come out in support of it with me?  

Of course, we could continue to debate the matter... clogging up the streets with the same debates over and over again and profit from it.  But I'm sure that no one has ever made a debate just to milk city hall... right?  Okay, that was snarky... but you have to admit, maybe people are more interested in having something controversial to discuss rather than they are resolving a problem.  Because let's face it, if we fix the problem then we go back to the same dozen or so topics that have been discussed ad nauseam overtime on these shores.